and i think that the sh we're dealing with right now in the fiscal cliff is a prime example of it. what i'm arguing for are maintaining tax cuts for 98% of americans. i don't think anybody would consider that some liberal, left wing agenda. it used to be considered a mainstream agenda. and it's something we can accomplish today if we simply allow for a vote in the senate and in the house to get it done. the fact that it's not happening is ancation of, you know, how far certain factions inside the republican party have gone where they can't even accept what used to be centrist mainstream positions on these issues. i'm an optimist. we try every other option before we finally do the right thing. after everything else is exhausted, we eventually do the right thing. and i think that's true for congress, as well. and i think it's important for americans to remember politics have always been messy. people have been asking me a lot about the film "lincoln" and -- >> is this your lincoln moment? >> well, no. look, i never compare myself to lincoln and, b, the magnitude of the issues are qui